Irving Altus - June 2, 1982

Reflections on Experiences

Are there times when um, particular situations occur, like uh, do you remember um, at holiday time or images?

Well, now--the beginning, yes. But now it seems the thing, no.

So do you have nightmares about it?

No, I never had.

Wife: Oh, you yell in dreams ??? many times.

Not, not mentioning from the thing.

Wife: ???

Not many times. See, I don't like when you talk for me.

It's not...

No, I don't like it. Because I can take care. I never have dreams. I've had dreams of they're chasing me more now for my grandchildren. Not from the camp or Nazis, never. I never had dreams about this.

You don't think Germany...

Things which the--that my wife just mentioned, but not from the camps.

It's not related to that.

No. I just worries about the kids, you know. Somebody wants them, take them. But not the things.

Did the--this is your...

But not--I...

...grandchildren, but did you have that with your children also?

No, no, really. I never, never. This is lucky too. I never had what people have, bad dreams and things like that. I never had this.

And then are you more at ease talking about your--do you talk with other survivors about your experiences?

I don't know, especially when you, when we get, we do talk about sometime, but I'll tell you the truth. Over and over, I don't like to repeat the same thing. War is more, anything else new is not--and how many times can you, you know. So even to be honest to you, when sometime you know, you got to get and start talking again, I, I don't like it. I just walk away and start something with somebody else, I mean. Because it's the same thing again and again and again. It seems like it's you know, like uh, like--nothing to accomplish. Nothing, I mean, to talk what we didn't do or thing. But again in the camp and again and... But not that I don't want to know about it. You understand my point, I'll do, as you see you know, I'm a, I'm a great you know, I'm helping a lot. I'm, I'm one of the dues to build the, the Holocaust Center. I am from the first uh, I'm a member in the B'nai Brith for thirty years, as long as I'm here, I'm a member in the She'erit ha-Peletah since we started. I'll uh, belong any place if they need my donation. You know, maybe I'm not going to be involved a lot, but as a member or to pay my dues, anytime. But in the She'erit ha-Peletah with the rabbi and the synagogue, we used to go to, to, to have a minyan at the rabbi's house, I mean. With the rabbi I will do anything you know, whatever I can. I work with the rabbi hand in hand, I mean. I'm like they say from the few closest friends, which--yeah. And I'm not religious or something, but I like the rabbi as a friend, as a person. And I want to do what we do just now, I do want to do. I'll give him some money, whatever I can, you know. This I do when I want something should be here and, in the, the future generation whoever. I am very much for this, I want the people to know what happened. With money and a little work, whatever I have to do, I'll do. I am for, I, I, I want this to be. Yes.

That's good. Maybe that's an appropriate thing uh, place to stop.

Yes, yes.

Or do you have anything else that...

Right. I am very much for this and I want it and I told my friends and whatever I can do. Anything.